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http://www.hybridcars.com/compressed-natural-gas/overview.html

Only One Choice, For Now

Natural gas is normally used in the U.S. to generate electricity, heat houses and businesses, and as a component in a variety of industrial processes. In the United States, a very small amount of natural gas (just one-tenth of 1% of all gas consumed) is also used as a fuel for vehicles. Traditionally, CNG vehicles have been used in private and government fleets, but some of these vehicles also are owned by private citizens. According to the Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition, there are 130,000 CNG vehicles in use in the United States, although this modest total includes heavy-duty vehicles (such as trucks and buses) as well as automobiles. Other countries, including Argentina and Brazil, boast more than 1 million CNG vehicles apiece.

If you’re thinking of joining the league of CNG drivers in the U.S., your choice of new vehicles is limited this year to one: The Honda Civic GX, a natural gas-powered version of the Civic. Compared with a Civic Hybrid, you’ll pay $2,290 more for the Civic GX, although you’ll be eligible for a $4,000 tax incentive instead of the Civic Hybrid’s current credit of $2,100. In addition, CNG vehicles such as the Civic GX are eligible for most of the same parking and carpool lane privileges as hybrids; in many states, CNG vehicles were using HOV lanes long before hybrids.

Another advantage of CNG vehicles is that, at least currently, the natural gas used to power them is primarily from domestic sources. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, just 20 percent of the natural gas consumed in the United States last year was imported, and most of those imports came from Canada—a country considered a supporter of terrorism far less often than several oil-producing nations that shall remain nameless. Unfortunately, natural gas imports have been rising gradually since the mid-1980s, and as demand for natural gas in the U.S. grows, the amount imported from overseas may have to grow also.

The only major downside to using CNG to run automobiles is that you need much more stricter handling procedures to handle CNG, given CNG's HIGHLY explosive nature. They better hope CNG tanks in automobiles are built like tank armor, because otherwise each car would be the equivalent of a rolling bomb.

If you’re thinking of joining the league of CNG drivers in the U.S., your choice of new vehicles is limited this year to one: The Honda Civic GX, a natural gas-powered version of the Civic. Compared with a Civic Hybrid, you’ll pay $2,290 more for the Civic GX, although you’ll be eligible for a $4,000 tax incentive instead of the Civic Hybrid’s current credit of $2,100. In addition, CNG vehicles such as the Civic GX are eligible for most of the same parking and carpool lane privileges as hybrids; in many states, CNG vehicles were using HOV lanes long before hybrids.

Unfortunately, the Civic GX is only sold in California and New York. But if you are in one of the states where it is sold, you can buy and finance the GX along with a necessary accessory:

Phill

Phill is a natural gas compressor that installs in your garage. It tops off the tank and shuts off, automatically, using your home's natural gas service.